dead looking heather bushes

[yogabird]

heather - got loads, how do i look after it? It looked nice when in flower but now it's too big and dead looking in places. I don't really like it much. CAn i cut it right back. Reluctant to dig all up cos there's so much...but i might! Any experts out there?

[yummybunnymummy]

hi, it depends how big it is, but I have laods of heathers in pots etc. when the the lower bits go all brown and dead looking , I re-pot it and bury the dead bits and leave just the green, living bits above, works fine.

I had a huge one in a border that got really dead and strangly in places, I cut it back too much and it never recovered. You can cut back the dead bits but you won't get new growth from those areas. ..

...err.... not sure that helps!

[yummybunnymummy]

they tend to like slightly acidic soil, to keep them really happy and feeling loved.

[yogabird]

some is really big and spreading over the paths but i don't want to really kill it off by being too brutal. DOn't know what i want to do with it really!

[yogabird]

that'll be my cat then and the stray that strolled across the lawn with a rabbit in its mouth last week